


Chasing Arcadia

by Ayam_Cemani



Series: Chasing Arcadia [1]
Category: Shall We Date?: Obey Me!
Genre: (and then some) - Freeform, Bisexual MC, Canon-Typical Violence, Enemies to Lovers, M/M, Mentions of childhood abuse, Minimal editing, Multi, Polyamory, Polyamory Negotiations, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Sexuality Crisis, Slow Burn, Tooth Rotting Fluff, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, angst humor and sass, biracial MC, but it's solved easily, canon-typical possessiveness, longfic that will possibly get abandoned quickly, on a technicality - Freeform, plot hole patching, slight lucifer love bias, smut in later chapters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:35:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28353294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ayam_Cemani/pseuds/Ayam_Cemani
Summary: A young man, looking for a second chance to turn his life around, finds himself in the midst of hell itself. He was given only one mission, Survive. Or, well, two. But going to a school filled with demons that wanted him dead really didn't leave a lot of time for finishing essays and practicing math.To his own dismay, he quickly finds himself drawn in by the mysteries and mayhem that dog his every step, learning and attempting to untangle the webs closing in on his fellow students and the very world itself.
Relationships: mc/the seven brothers
Series: Chasing Arcadia [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2076393
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	Chasing Arcadia

**Author's Note:**

> Alright folks you know what this is, it's a multi-chaptered "here's my main character playing through the game" fic! 
> 
> First and foremost I need to make it very obvious to everybody reading this that zj is biracial, he's half black half asian and grew up in china. I however, am white and grew up in the usa with only my chinese and black friends and online resources to make this as accurate as possible. You are welcome to politely correct me on stuff like, daily life or translations I get wrong, I'll gladly any advice! However I won't be changing zj's personality or backstory at all, thank you :)
> 
> [I didn't realize for A While the tags read 'the hobbit cast' and as hilarious as that typo was, I'm not an asshole who mistags things so I went back and fixed it]
> 
> Title of the fic/series is based off of Lucifer's song, Arcadia. Chapter/Arc title "Far from home" is from Five Finger Death Punch

It’s a cold morning to step outside into. The kind of chill that comes a little too early for the season, a little before the dawn. One you can’t help but release a breath into, only to be disappointed without the illusion of blown smoke and wonder, why then, why bother with the cold at all? That’s where Zj, currently was. Outside on this chilled morning, filling his lungs with the crisp air, after the air conditioning of the subway nearly suffocated him, and scowling when the cold disappointed him every breath after that. 

For such an early morning, too many people were around for his tastes. A few were blatantly staring, others mutually ignoring him, but none of them seemed to be the person he was looking for. So he drifted through the crowd, chancing instead upon a most welcome sight; A hole in the wall coffee shop- Properly made blends by people who loved the drink. A few minutes later, Zj’s still wandering the streets. A touch happier with the bitter taste of coffee and sweeners. Watching the sun rise to the rolling of pudding balls against teeth. 

By the time the sun is over the horizon, he’s wandered through the area enough to get a sense of it’s layout. Though he still hasn’t seen this “You’ll know them when you see them” mystery contact. 

It was time for a little bothering and some questionings.

Zj pulls out his touch screen and types punches in the numbers. Grinning to himself when a sleepy, concerned ‘What’s happened?’ greets him in german after the second ring.

“Guten Morgen!” He says, too cheerfully. Grinning wider at the muttered curse.

“Do you have any idea what time it is here!?” Is spat at him, the concern fading to annoyance so fast, Zj’s almost impressed.

“Well, my maths aren’t the best, but I’ll assume anywhere between ‘hangover’ and ‘sleeping naked’... Please tell me it’s the latter.” Zj goes to lean by the railing, staring over the cityscape while the woman on the end of the line, presumably, is dragging herself out of bed from the rustling clothes, a closed door, and more curses on his name.

“If I fire you for sexual harassment, you will not care for the consequences.”

“Belladonna, madame, I already don’t like the consequences of working for you.” She can’t see it, but he tilts his half empty coffee pointedly. “I’m already damned if I do, damned if I don’t. Might as well get my kicks.”

“You are correct.” Zj does not like the dark enjoyment in her words.

“So, anyway, listen-”

She doesn’t even wait for him to finish, “You are supposed to be on your way to school, boy. What are you doing calling me?” 

“I can’t find the 'manly guy' you told me to find. I wouldn’t know them if I saw them. _Ma’am_.”

“I did not say to find some _one_ -” Belladonna sounded so irritated. As if she was the one being given the runaround.

“Yes, you did-”

“I told you to find the-” The early morning is probably what makes her tongue twist around the words “- Manly place.” 

Whatever he’d meant to say died and all he could croak out was, “I’m sorry?”

“The manly building! The one- ‘NanYang’- Why are you laughing!?”

Zj pfft-d slightly, trying to cover his mouth and get back a little control over himself. He couldn’t help it! Truly!

“You- you want me to f-find the,” Snort “Dick building!”

“No! No! I do not- God, I’m hanging up now.”

“Wait, wait wait-” He’s still laughing even as the phone line goes dead. Grasping at the railing and fumbling to put the phone away so he can safely bury his face in a hand. Letting the giggles run their course.

It wasn’t Belladonna’s fault he laughed, she had the right NanYang. She did! Technically. It was just, it was too easy. Zj gleefully filed away the fact that she sent him to the ‘huge masculinity’ place to hold over her head for the rest of their partnership.

With the new information acquired, he sets off again for the nearest main office. This time, the search bears fruit. A very interesting one. Considering the entire building is a violently blue with tiles and woodworking that would not have been out of place in a bollywood-meets-LOOKSfilm movie. He didn’t go in. Not at first. Choosing to stand outside the door, hand on a hip and poking at the daringly carved sigils he may or may not have glimpsed in a witch’s book of shadows.

There were still people around, far more now than an hour ago, and Zj watched the passing faces. Watching as their eyes would catch on his, only to slide away after a moment or two. Was it the building they didn’t want to be cursed by? Or was something preventing their attention from sticking? His lips twists to the side, facing the building again. Belladonna had given him a token earlier, some weird magic thing he had been terribly curious about, and wanted to tossed over the side of a cliff as a precaution. He fished the token, a coin-shaped thing in the same shade of blue as the building, from his pocket, pinched it between his thumb and forefinger and delicately held it out towards the door. 

Almost instantly, the coin vanished and caused one of the sigils to flash brightly, then fade away like it had never been. From within, he heard a series of clicks, a grind, and the door cracked open to darkness.

“Damn, I really don’t like that.” Zj mutters through grit teeth. Taking one last chance to take deep breaths to steel his nerves, stare mournfully at the cityscape and regret some life choices again. 

A step inside. 

The door was open at least. Maybe he’d get lucky and Belladonna was yanking his chain. The lights would flare, he’d have a heart attack, people would laugh, all in good fun really.

Two steps. 

Seriously they should turn on some lights in here. It was hard to tell exactly how big this place was with it being pitch black.

Three steps.

The door slammed shut, and Zj felt his stomach leap into his throat right before crashing back into his feet as the floor vanished.

* * *

The worst part about falling in the dark was definitely the darkness itself. The whirlwind of a fall without wind and the inability to catch on to anything about him were a close second. The sheer terror that forced dissociation, well, that part wasn’t so bad.

Time stretched until it was no time at all before the world seemed to right itself and his feet hit the ground. Hard. Wobbling in place a moment and throwing out his arms to regain balance from, whatever the fuck just happened. And watched with an ever suffering look as his innocent coffee landed a foot away, the cup bounced twice and the liquid spilling in sad little puddles. At least, he could grateful that he hadn’t broken an ankle or something.

Scattered thoughts were scuttling together when a voice boomed ringing around stone walls, so bright and boisterous, he could’ve sworn the sun itself was speaking.

“Welcome to Devildom, Zhao Jiaxin!”

Zj’s head whipped up to stare at wherever this booming, bright voice had come from, and stared at the super super huge man sitting across the room.

And it’s a Room alright. Huge, intimidating, obviously a lot older than most of the buildings in his city. Though, what catches his attention the most are the other men who sat graciously at a long wooden table and matching chairs. 

He opens his mouth to say something, only to have no sound come out. So it’s closed again. Awaiting for literally any explanation.

“Oh,” The man’s- was it a man? That shocking red hair and warm golden eyes said whatever he was, it wasn’t human- bright smile dropped from his face. “I can tell by the look on your face you’re confused. You need not worry! I’ll explain everything!” Thus the bright smile from before reappears. Overflowing with the pride of a warm conclusion and an almost puppy like eagerness to please.

Zj really had to wonder if, as nice as it would be that his earlier thoughts held true and this was a prank, Belladonna would go through the trouble of hiring such gorgeous men just to pull it. The only thing telling him any different was their unusual eye colors. All of them, save two, he’d never seen on a human before.

Finally realizing he’s still got his arms stuck out like a lunatic, Zj clears his throat and cautiously straightens. Letting his arms fall to his sides and quickly running through various things he could have said, probably should say, when his traitious mouth moved even faster. Proclaiming “I dropped my coffee.” And caused his soul leave his body. 

Maybe, just maybe, these nice supermodels would put him out of his misery. 

Though, smothered sniggers told him otherwise.

“So is there like, a trash can around here?” Experience taught him he needed to roll with the blows to his pride until he could figure out how badly he would need to murder his so-called boss.

“It’s fine somebody else can clean it up.” That’s giant red-haired man again.

“No, no, it’s fine just let me-” Zj crouches down and begins pushing the tapioca back into the cup with the lid “-Y’know, pick up my balls here.”

More laughter, light and high pitched, sounding more than a little fake. He sneaks a peak at the table again, wondering which one it was, and catches the eye of the seemingly pink haired one. 

“Toss it over there.” A voice, deep, baritone. An underlying arrogant charisma that drew Zj’s gaze back down the line of men to the one with dark hair and red eyes. The amusement in his voice seemed less at Zj’s words and more how one might watch a turtle struggling across the street with oncoming traffic. Instantly Zj wanted nothing more than to smack him, stick something in his mouth and rattle his teeth until he dropped the smug look. 

Thoughts for another day. Grinded down and packed somewhere in the back of his mind while outwardly, Zj gave the man a nod and obediently tossed the trash into the can.

“So,” Zj’s hands rubbed against each other, the leftover sticky coffee giving him the perfect excuse to fiddle and align his thoughts with them. Approaching the bench until he could see their faces a little more clearly. All of them are even more handsome in unique ways from close range. “About that explanation…”

“Of course!” Beams Red-Hair.

“Welcome to the Royal Academy of Diavolo! R.A.D, for short”

Zj pursed his lips. He wasn’t an english master by any means, yet-

“And that’s me! Diavolo. Prince of Hell.”

Oh fuck.

He was going to _murder_ that woman

**Author's Note:**

> So in case anybody is confused about 'nan yang', depending on the characters, it can mean an administrative building or 'perfect masculinity' (A Manly Man in a non ironic way). HOWEVER, using the wrong characters will translate it into 'huge masculinity'. Which is a dick joke lol.


End file.
